Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, mobile telephones, and the like. Some handheld electronic devices feature wireless communication capabilities. Other handheld electronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices.
A typical handheld electronic device has a display supported by a housing. The display is generally a component having fixed physical dimensions. Certain devices also include an input portion in the form of, for example, a keyboard or keypad.
In attempts to provide a more compact and portable design for some handheld electronic devices having a large display, the input portion may be positioned between a battery and the display in the thickness direction of the device. A user may slide, twist, or flip the input portion relative to the display (e.g., flip or slide) for access to the input portion. While these designs may be generally effective for their intended purposes, these designs have increased the overall thickness of the handheld electronic device.